WWII Normandy sites
Discussion
Simpo Two said:
Dibble said:
I'm off to France next week, arriving by Ferry in Caen
Caen is inland! (well it was in 1944)That's just anther example of your pedanticness.
Simpo Two would probably have said:
I think you'll find that's "pedantry"...
www.battlebus.fr
No link to them other than having used them for 2 tours. Well worth the money and a good way to fill a day while making sure you take in the 'must see' sites.
We did the Band of Brothers tour and the British tour.
No link to them other than having used them for 2 tours. Well worth the money and a good way to fill a day while making sure you take in the 'must see' sites.
We did the Band of Brothers tour and the British tour.
There's too much too see in one day but I managed to see the British beaches, the Cliff top the US Rangers scaled and the last German guns still in their emplacements. I didn't make it to a cemetry.
On top of the British beaches there is a 360 degree film cinema which was good.
I can't remember the names of the places without looking them up again and I am away from home, so don't have the leaflet I had. You should be able to get one localaly, with all the maps etc. Then just take your pic. Failing that, drive along the small coast road and you'll just come across everything.
I would recommend visting some of the beaches though. Quite surreal to think about what happened there.
Just google it, I'm sure you'll find something that takes your fancy.
On top of the British beaches there is a 360 degree film cinema which was good.
I can't remember the names of the places without looking them up again and I am away from home, so don't have the leaflet I had. You should be able to get one localaly, with all the maps etc. Then just take your pic. Failing that, drive along the small coast road and you'll just come across everything.
I would recommend visting some of the beaches though. Quite surreal to think about what happened there.
Just google it, I'm sure you'll find something that takes your fancy.
jshell said:
WWII museum at Bayeux (as in Bayeux tapestry - if I got the spelling correct), and Utah beach were a good visit for me. Bomb craters still evident, pill boxes, few tanks, field guns and Buffalo amphibious carriers on the dunes.
There is a photo of my gramps with Lord Mountbaten in that museum. He was in the Hussars (Desert Rats)Edited by TheDetailDoctor on Thursday 12th March 07:39
Ok. I go to these.
Must see (not in any order):
1)American Cemetery at Colville Sur Mer
2)Omaha beach
3)Utah beach and museum
4)German cemetery (just off the main dual carriageway)
5)Recently uncovered German gun battery at Grandcamp Maisy
6)Pegasus Bridge and museum
7)360 degree cinema at Arromanche and a quick look at the Mulberry harbour.
Lots of other stuff......if you want photos as a taster, email me.
ETA: I've just seen you only have a day, so do the American Cemetery and Omaha beach. It's where they filmed the start of Saving Private Ryan. It'll move you to tears.
Must see (not in any order):
1)American Cemetery at Colville Sur Mer
2)Omaha beach
3)Utah beach and museum
4)German cemetery (just off the main dual carriageway)
5)Recently uncovered German gun battery at Grandcamp Maisy
6)Pegasus Bridge and museum
7)360 degree cinema at Arromanche and a quick look at the Mulberry harbour.
Lots of other stuff......if you want photos as a taster, email me.
ETA: I've just seen you only have a day, so do the American Cemetery and Omaha beach. It's where they filmed the start of Saving Private Ryan. It'll move you to tears.
Edited by Cara Van Man on Thursday 12th March 07:39
In Ouistreham itself is a small airborne museum and a big German tower bunker that is a museum and well worth visiting.
They are only about half a mile from the ferry port and a few yards from the beach.
You are also close to the Pegasus Bridge museum (about 20 kilometers)
See for info below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouistreham
They are only about half a mile from the ferry port and a few yards from the beach.
You are also close to the Pegasus Bridge museum (about 20 kilometers)
See for info below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouistreham
Pointe du Hoc.
'Twas a large German battery on a promontory just west of Omaha beach.
It was very heavily bombed in the days up to D Day.
It is said that the Allies dropped high explosives equivalent to the Hiroshima bomb onto Pointe du Hoc in the few days before the landings.
It was then the subject of a fairly heroic assault by US Rangers.
Today it remains a moonscape of craters and wrecked bunkers. It is a very thought provoking place to visit.
'Twas a large German battery on a promontory just west of Omaha beach.
It was very heavily bombed in the days up to D Day.
It is said that the Allies dropped high explosives equivalent to the Hiroshima bomb onto Pointe du Hoc in the few days before the landings.
It was then the subject of a fairly heroic assault by US Rangers.
Today it remains a moonscape of craters and wrecked bunkers. It is a very thought provoking place to visit.
Another vote for Arromanches from me, and probably ideal for a day. The museum is brilliant and has a lot to see (and very humbling - what an incredible logistical exercise it all was), there's the beaches to walk, the 360 cinema, the enormous guns on the cliffs above, and lovely seafood lunch and/or supper to fit in.
Bayeux museum is great but huge, can't do it in a day, i suggest save it for a longer visit then you can do the tapestry as well which is also worth seeing.
We've been to Arromanches 3 times now and always enjoy it, they rotate stuff in the museum so it's always fresh. Seeing the memo from Winston Churchill about the harbour piers always roots me to the spot, though it's not always on display as they rotate, as i mentioned.
Bayeux museum is great but huge, can't do it in a day, i suggest save it for a longer visit then you can do the tapestry as well which is also worth seeing.
We've been to Arromanches 3 times now and always enjoy it, they rotate stuff in the museum so it's always fresh. Seeing the memo from Winston Churchill about the harbour piers always roots me to the spot, though it's not always on display as they rotate, as i mentioned.
Pat H said:
Pointe du Hoc.
'Twas a large German battery on a promontory just west of Omaha beach.
It was very heavily bombed in the days up to D Day.
It is said that the Allies dropped high explosives equivalent to the Hiroshima bomb onto Pointe du Hoc in the few days before the landings.
It was then the subject of a fairly heroic assault by US Rangers.
Today it remains a moonscape of craters and wrecked bunkers. It is a very thought provoking place to visit.
Very moving place and when you see th number (and size) of craters you realise what a pounding it took. Then look over the cliff edge and see what the rangers had to climb, under fire, and it makes for some really sobering thoughts!'Twas a large German battery on a promontory just west of Omaha beach.
It was very heavily bombed in the days up to D Day.
It is said that the Allies dropped high explosives equivalent to the Hiroshima bomb onto Pointe du Hoc in the few days before the landings.
It was then the subject of a fairly heroic assault by US Rangers.
Today it remains a moonscape of craters and wrecked bunkers. It is a very thought provoking place to visit.
Cara Van Man said:
Ok. I go to these.
Must see (not in any order):
1)American Cemetery at Colville Sur Mer
2)Omaha beach
3)Utah beach and museum
4)German cemetery (just off the main dual carriageway)
5)Recently uncovered German gun battery at Grandcamp Maisy
6)Pegasus Bridge and museum
7)360 degree cinema at Arromanche and a quick look at the Mulberry harbour.
Lots of other stuff......if you want photos as a taster, email me.
ETA: I've just seen you only have a day, so do the American Cemetery and Omaha beach. It's where they filmed the start of Saving Private Ryan. It'll move you to tears.
When I went to Omaha it was a very still, overcast day and the atmosphere was almost ghostly. Pretty much the only sound was that of the waves breaking and TBH it almost reduced me to tears standing on that beach that day. The cemetry there is also a reminder of just how many people died - I'll try and remember to post some of my pics up tonight.Must see (not in any order):
1)American Cemetery at Colville Sur Mer
2)Omaha beach
3)Utah beach and museum
4)German cemetery (just off the main dual carriageway)
5)Recently uncovered German gun battery at Grandcamp Maisy
6)Pegasus Bridge and museum
7)360 degree cinema at Arromanche and a quick look at the Mulberry harbour.
Lots of other stuff......if you want photos as a taster, email me.
ETA: I've just seen you only have a day, so do the American Cemetery and Omaha beach. It's where they filmed the start of Saving Private Ryan. It'll move you to tears.
Edited by Cara Van Man on Thursday 12th March 07:39
The Pegasus bridge museum is good as is Sword beach. We never made it to Grandcamp Maisey which was a shame. We spent 2 days around Normandy before moving on for 2 days around Verdun for the WW1 stuff. Now if you want to see moving and sobering, head for there!
cloggy said:
In Ouistreham itself is a small airborne museum and a big German tower bunker that is a museum and well worth visiting.
They are only about half a mile from the ferry port and a few yards from the beach.
You are also close to the Pegasus Bridge museum (about 20 kilometers)
See for info below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouistreham
This was to be my suggestion too, the Ouistreham museum is worth it, especially climbing the ladder to get to the roof. Looking across the flat sands, it is easy to see how vulnerable the landing troops would've been (though I don't think the beach is one of the landing zones)They are only about half a mile from the ferry port and a few yards from the beach.
You are also close to the Pegasus Bridge museum (about 20 kilometers)
See for info below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouistreham
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff